Learning From Example
by Light8mare
Summary: When Russia becomes partial to the smallest of the house, Latvia begins to crumble. Unfortunantly, Russia knows just how to rebuild him, and suddenly this changed, darker version of the trembling nation has the other Baltic States concerned... And not just for his sake, but their own as well. (Not history tied)
1. Chapter 1

Lithuania knew Latvia was getting hurt.

That was an understatement.

_NoItsFineIgnoreHimHisProblemJustHurtAllAreHurtDontThinkLikeThat!_

Lithuania shuts his eyes, taking a breath to calm his mind.

Correction.

Latvia was getting ripped apart, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

_Shushshushdon'tithurtsshhhhe'sfineallfine!_

Lithuania jerks his head and squeezes the bridge of his nose tightly. He was still trying to control his breathing, but it seemed to be getting faster.

That wasn't good. They'd get louder, the red, it would hurt soon. If he didn't stop. They wanted him to stop. Temperamental. Shhh.

Lithuania began shaking his head very hard, his dusty brown hair swishing wildly and tips stinging his face. It was as though he was convinced he could shake out the extra noises in his head. He could. Couldn't. No. Harder.

He ended up smashing his face into the wall he'd been leaning against before that odd feeling in his head had tensed him up and he'd subconsciously leaned forward. He gingerly presses his palm over it, feeling his cheek bones ache and the skin stinging rawly in the cool hallway air.

"Lithuania?"

He turns and blinks at Estonia. Where had he come from?

The thought vanishes, though, when Estonia peers closer to inspect the damage.

"Good, it doesn't look like it'll bruise, though I can't really be sure." He smiles lightly. "Have a fight with that wall? Using fists hurts less than using your face."

The corner of his lips turn down however, when Lithuania's gaze becomes vacant an his head droops down. "You need your medication don't you?" Estonia says quietly and pulls out a bottle. He dumps out a pill, then touches Lithuania's arm to see if he was capable of doing it himself this time. When he doesn't react, Estonia tilts his head back and gently pulls down his jaw. "I know. I know you hate it, but you need to take it. It'll make you feel better," Estonia sympathizes when the brunette shifts uncomfortably and makes a disapproving noise. The northern nation presses the pill down into his throat and, with a bit of difficulty, Lithuania swallows.

Estonia coaxes Lithuania into sitting down, and the taller nation pulls his knees in and scratches his arms insistently for a while.

They sit in the silence for a while. The pressure and tension emanating from upstairs was almost crushing, and Estonia shuts his eyes and tries to block out the thoughts of that soundproof room where the youngest of the threesome was being held.

When the medication kicks in, Lithuania blinks tiredly up at the blond and receives a reassuring smile. "Sorry," he mumbles.

Estonia shakes his head dismissively. He'd already seen the worse side to Lithuania's psychosis. Catching it so early and in such a docile state was a nice break from past episodes, where he would often thrash or break down in a torrent of loud sobs that would attract the owner of the house.

As long as he could protect them, even if he did a poor job of it, they would be fine.

The sound of bolts unlocked and a door swung open steals their attention, and they wait silently for the heavy footfalls of steel toed boots to travel downstairs and vanish inside the office before sneaking up with hurried speed.

The door left ajar did nothing to hide the pathetic whines of the crumpled child inside. Estonia, followed by Lithuania, move quickly to his side. Lith couldn't keep his eyes from locking on the small form, already filling with dread and empathy, as he knew all too well what it was like to be in the younger's roll. He wasn't in control of himself well enough to help Estonia as he ran over Latvia's injuries, but he began to murmer comfort to the crying child to try and be helpful.

Estonia lightly runs his fingers over the shredded, bloody clothing hanging off Latvia's frail body, then carefully slides his arms around him, hoping to avoid hurting the boy too much. The frantic quivering that ran through Latvia's bony form was sombering as Estonia picks him up and carries the limp boy to their shared room, Lithuania following him.

-.+

He sighs and shifts stiffly at the end of the bed, careful not to disturb the two sleeping nations laying under the comforters. It had been enough trouble getting them asleep.

Estonia rub his eyes and gazes around the bleak, dark room with a haggard look on his face. This was getting to be too much. Juggling the care of his two brothers, avoiding Russia, and the normal work around the house was taking its toll on his sleep-deprived nerves. It was too much stress for one man.

It was so unfair! Why should the other nations be flourishing around them when they were being repressed by their sadistic landlord?! Was it fair that Lithuania suffered from all of anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations from the things Russia forced him through?! Was it fair that Latvia could no longer find the words to speak, only making wounded animal sounds as he shook from tremors easily rivaling frightened rabbits? Was it fair that Estonia had treated so many of their wounds, yet still he could only watch helplessly as Russia ruined them all over again? Was it fair that Estonia spent his nights awake, going back and forth between two nation's night terrors?

He sighs again, feeling so worn. No. It wasn't. It never was. But the game continued without any good end in sight.

Latvia's shifting and soft whimpers drag Estonia from his thoughts and he slides over to the upset boy. Despite his calming, Latvia's cries elevate into wailing sobs and the small nation clings to his shirt, despret for relief from the phantoms behind his eyelids.

Somehow, Estonia eventually sooths him back into sleeping peacefully, and he strokes the hair of his traumatized brothers for a few moments before sliding back to his spot at the end of the bed.

He'd protect them and hold their sanity together... or die trying.


	2. Chapter 2

**Oddly enough, most of the Lavita fanart has him with purple eyes, but the screenshots I saw him in had him with blue eyes. Weird huh? Thinking about using it to my advantage...**

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><p>He frowns when he catches sight of the bottle.<p>

When Estonia nears, Latvia pulls the bottle into his lap and crouches over it with his back to the taller nation, as if the evidence will vanish that way.

"What are you drinking Latvia?" Estonia asks with fake curiosity, despite already knowing what the clear content in the bottle was.

Latvia grunts and clings selfishly to the vodka, still turned from Estonia's view. With a sigh, Estonia reaches his hands over Latvia's thin shoulders and pries it from his hand, ignoring his complaining whines.

Estonia scowls at the sight of the open alcohol cabinet, which was privately Russia's. He turns back to Latvia, who was now covering his face with his hands. "Did Lithuania give this to you?" He asks sternly. He knew the taller nation would often pick the lock for a bottle every now and then when things were too much to handle, and if Latvia followed him with those wide blue eyes long enough Lithuania would pass one to him as well.

Latvia simply withdrew further into himself. Estonia sighs again, realizing this tactic was only scaring the child-nation further. He goes to his knees so he was instead looking up at Latvia's shielded face and whispers gently, "Latvi, I'm not mad at you OK? I just wanted to know if Lithuania is still stealing Vodka."

Estonia reaches up to ruffle his hair like he and Lithuania would do when they were younger, but the second his hand brushes his head Latvia jerks away like it had burnt him and begins to sniffle in the start of crying.

_Oh shoot, that's right! Russia always pats his head doesn't he? _

Hurriedly, Estonia tries to console the trembling nation as he begins to whimper, but Latvia only worsens and sobs loudly. His hands move to his shoulders and dig through the fabric as if in an attempt to comfort himself.

"W-whats going on Estonia?" Lithuania asks as he stumbles into the room.

"I was asking him if you gave him the vodka, and he kept hiding so I touched his hair! I forgot that's what Rus- what _he _does!" Estonia explains, leaving out Russia's name so to keep from worsening Latvia's current state. What happens next puts his efforts in vain however.

"Why is Latvia being so loud?"

The Russian accent alerts all three of them to who has just joined the chaotic scene, and Latvia descends into full blown hysterics, wailing and rocking back and forth violently while swinging his legs.

"N-nothing Mr. Russia! La-Latvia just- uh- b-broke his hand! No problem!" Lithuania cries over the noise.

"Really?! Perhaps I should assis-"

"NO!"

Estonia's rejection startles everyone and even Latvia pauses to suck in a breath before continuing his screams.

Estonia quickly adds, "We wouldn't w-want to trouble you! Its just slight! We can take care of it so you needn't involve yourself! Just go back to what you were doing and we won't bother you!"

Russia frowns in almost a pouting way and walks away.

Frantically, Estonia grabs up Latvia and carries him to their shared bedroom upstairs with Lithuania trailing behind. The whole time Latvia is thrashing and completely inconsolable. When they reach the room, Estonia lays him on he bed and struggles to hold him down. Meanwhile, Lithuania is rummaging through the closet, which was probably one of the most untidy places in the house.

"What are you doing?!" Estonia snaps.

"Looking for something to calm him down! Ah!" Lithuania cries with short triumph at finding a stashed bottle of vodka and shoves it to Estonia, who, with no better option, pours some into Latvia's screaming mouth and covers it.

It takes a few moments of struggling before Latvia swallows, and after a few more forced swallows, he takes the bottle from Estonia and sips at it quietly aside from a few stray sniffles.

Estonia and Lithuania sigh in relief at finally calming him down, even if it was a less preferred method. They both knew hugging him would only scare him more, especially since it was another action Russia was fond of.

"Why do you hate alcohol so much Esto?" Lithuania asks.

Estonia stands and walks him further away from Latvia before whispering, "Vodka is Russian water. We already live with him and we're secluded from the others, I don't want anymore chance that we might become like him."

Lithuania nods slowly. "I... I'll try to tone it down the alcohol."

When Latvia finishes drinking the inhumane amount of vodka, he's finally calmed down and drunk enough that his brothers can put him to bed. They leave him in the room, needing to return to their chores before Russia gets involved.

-.'-

Latvia stirs slightly, unsure what woke him up. He looks around, then sees a large figure standing over him and begins to scream, but a hand clasps firmly around him mouth and nose, cutting off all air. Russia sits down on the side of the bed, smiling eerily at him.

"You were crying very loudly today." The Russian says quietly. His violet eyes seem to glow as they bore into Latvia, locking Latvia's blue onto his own.

His other hand pulls away the comforter and forcibly drags Latvia towards him. Then it holds him in place on his lap, tightly wrapped over his stomach. Russia seems to see that by now Latvia is paralyzed in terror, because he removes the hand from his face and instead strokes his hair.

"Tell me, why was little Latvia making such a racket? Your hands don't seem the least bit broken, they are not even bandaged."

Tears are flowing uncontrollably down his face, but his throat is still too tight, so Latvia remains in silent panic.

"Are you still hurting from last time I was angry? Could that be it?" He absently wipes away a tear trail from Latvia's face. "Are your brothers treating you badly?" Russia leans down and picks up the empty Vodka bottle. "Little Lithuania probably stole this. Did they make you drink this hm?"

His hand pries open Latvia's mouth and pinches his nose. He bends forward to sniff Latvia's breath, the leans back again with a satisfied smirk. "So they did make you drink! How cruel! You should drink only Russian water because you _choose to_." Russia gives a sigh and says, "I suppose the only way to solve this is to separate you, since you're obviously getting picked on. You can come to my room."

A whimper squeezes from Latvia's clenched throat. "There, there, little Latvia. You'll be safe with me," Russia assures him and Latvia comes close to hyperventilating as the huge man picks him up and begins to walk out. They're stopped, however, when Estonia and Lithuania nearly run straight into them.

"Ahh...! R-Russia?! You, uh," Estonia swallows hard when he sees the trembling figure in his arms. "If... If you don't mind my asking, w-what are you doing with Latvia?"

"Ah, just making sure he is in safe hands." Russia tells them lightly. "You said his hand broke. I wonder, are we lacking bandages?"

Horror dawns on their faces when they understand what Russia is getting at. "A-ah... T-that-t..." They exchange looks helplessly.

Russia's smile grows. "Well, I hate to tell you this, but vodka isn't actually a good substitute for fixing the broken bones. They just heal crookedly"

"However," he says with a pause and extends Latvia's hands so they can see. "It seems that it actually _speeds _the recovery rate faster than any normal nation heals. It also seems to set bones perfectly. Vodka is _amazing,_ nyet?"

"Y-yes Mr. R-Russia," Estonia agrees nervously. He glances back at Lithuania, who had begun silently staring at nothing and muttering strings of nonsense with wide blank eyes.

"Ah, it seems little Lithuania requires aid. You will give that to him, da?" Russia's voice is like sugar over his obvious threat, telling Estonia not to interfere with what he was doing.

"Y-yes sir..." Estonia gazes worriedly back at the larger man as he pulls Lithuania into their shared room.

Russia immediately slams the door behind him, and a clicking noise tells Estonia he's just been locked in.

Sighing in resignation, he pulls out Lithuania's pill bottle, wondering how badly damaged Latvia will be when Russia grows bored of his company.

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><p><strong>Thanks to Eternity sword. I often get in the weird habit of mentally pronouncing character's names wrong, and then I can't type them right. Lavita is now Latvia.<strong>


End file.
